A G Doughty – Lord, in past and distant ages, Long before the ken of man

Lord, in past and distant ages,
Long before the ken of man,
Ere creation’s words were spoken,
Or the heav’ns and earth began,
Thou wast there in all Thy glory –
Blessed Lord, we bow the knee –
Dwelling then in love unbounded:
Homage now we render Thee.

What that love no thought can fathom;
Nor can human lips define
Those relationships eternal,
All inscrutable, divine!
But, in time, Thou wouldst in manhood
Here the Name of God declare,
In a wondrous, blest relation
Which Thou couldst with others share.

All His will Thou hast accomplished,
All the work He gave Thee, done;
One in thought, in plan and purpose,
He the Father, Thou the Son.
But on resurrection’s morning,
To Thine own Thou didst declare
That Thy Father was their Father,
And His love they now might share.

A G Doughty (1892-1949)

Little Flock Hymn Book (1962/1973) No 117.

Being Dead to Nature

The expression ‘death to nature’ is not scriptural. ‘Death to the world’ is, and it is something that is seriously lacking amongst believers.

Natural relationships are of God, but it’s corruption is not. God created male and female, but Satan has spoiled normal relationships. God has given us these natural relationships to enjoy. Hence we do not neglect our bodies, which would be suggested by the thought of being dead to nature, which sets these relationships aside.

In Christ we have a relationship with Him and the Father, but we recognise that these relationships are not natural ones. We have died with Christ, and our life is hid with him. Hence we are dead to sin, and the rudiments of the world. Our old man is crucified with Christ. We are ‘dead to the law by the body of Christ’ (Romans 7:4).

Being dead to nature is quite unknown to Scripture, and falsifies the bearing of death to sin and the world. Death to nature is not devotedness: if I talk about being dead to nature, I am occupied with it. The thought of being dead to nature would It is legality and maintaining this is not of the Holy Spirit.

Christ is our life and He is not of the world. We have a new relationship with the Father, based Christ’s being in heaven. The Spirit of God is the source of all our thoughts in or desires for Christ to be our life. We eat, we drink, and we enjoy our relationships here. At the same time, we pray and give God thanks.

Substance of a letter by JN Darby 16 August 1878. From ‘Death to Nature’ – Notes and Comments Volume 2 page 259.

Sosthenes

August 2016

Being Dead to Nature

The expression ‘death to nature’ is not scriptural. ‘Death to the world’ is, and it is something that is seriously lacking amongst believers.

In Christ we have a relationship with Him and the Father, but we recognise that these relationships are not natural ones. We have died with Christ, and our life is hid with him. Hence we are dead to sin, and the rudiments of the world. Our old man is crucified with Christ. We are ‘dead to the law by the body of Christ’ (Romans 7:4).

Substance of a letter by JN Darby 16 August 1878. From ‘Death to Nature’ – Notes and Comments Volume 2 page 259.

J N Darby – Fulness of Joy – Oh, bright and blessed hope! When shall it be

OH, bright and blessed hope!
When shall it be
That we His face, long loved,
Revealed shall see?

Oh! when, without a cloud,
His features trace,
Whose faithful love so long
We’ve known in grace;

That love itself enjoy,
Which, ever true,
Did in our feeble path
Its work pursue?

O Jesus, not unknown,
Thy love shall fill
The heart in which Thou dwell’st,
And shalt dwell still.

Still, Lord, to see Thy face,
Thy voice to hear;
To know Thy present love
For ever near;

To gaze upon Thyself,
So faithful known,
Long proved in secret help
With Thee alone;

To see that love, content,
On me flow forth,
For ever Thy delight,
Clothed with Thy worth!

O Lord, ’twas sweet the thought
That Thou wast mine;
But brighter still the joy
That I am Thine!

Thine own, O Lord, the fruit,
The cherished fruit,
Of Thine all perfect love!
No passing root

Of evil e’er will dim
Thy cloudless rays;
But a full heart pour forth
Thine endless praise!

Nor what is next Thy heart
Can we forget –
Thy saints, O Lord, with Thee
In glory met,

(Perfect in comeliness
Before Thy face –
Th’eternal witness all
Of Thine own grace),

Together then their songs
Of endless praise,
With one harmonious voice,
In joy shall raise!

O joy supreme and full,
Where sunless day
Sheds forth, with light divine,
Its cloudless ray!

John Nelson Darby (1800-81)

Written 1879
Parts of the above are in Hymns for the Little Flock 1962 and 1973 – No 160

More verses are published in Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs (1978) No 50 as well as 160

Meter 6.4.6.4. usually sung as 6.4.6.4.D.

…
…

Civilisation and Man’s Natural state

Civilisation is the artificial and polished life where people are associated by common recognised rules.

Civilisation is the artificial and polished life where people are associated by common recognised rules. They have developed of skills and mental faculties. This is in contrast with men barbarism with men in natural or ‘savage’ groups, acting on natural impulses and passions. Nevertheless, mental faculties the natural state, and the impulses and passions remain in the civilised. If these are let loose, unrestrained by common recognised civil rules, we have revolution, war, and so forth.

Barbaric State

Civilised State

Origin – Adam after the fall

Men are personally free

Men act as individuals

Social and family groups are small

Barbarism was the natural effect of Adam’s state when he had lost God

Origin – Cain

Men are more dependent on each other

Men are more closely united

Men are gregarious (more than social)

Civilisation began when Cain built a city

Civilisation uses human faculties and the earth’s resources to make the world a pleasant without God

Based on J. N. Darby: ‘Civilisation’ – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 110

Sosthenes

August 2016

False Ideas of Right and Wrong

A false as notion as to what is right and wrong may incite a person’s passion, leading to rebellion and even violence.

Education and circumstances may corrupt judgment. A false as notion as to what is right and wrong may incite a person’s passion, leading to rebellion and even violence. [Witness Islamic fundamentalism – Sosthanes.]

Based on a passage in on J. N. Darby: ‘Conscience’ – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 104

The Difference between Rules and Conscience

There is often confusion between obedience to rule and conscience: in fact one is the opposite of the other.

When we have rules there is an obligation to obey, without any consideration of right and wrong. On the other hand, conscience gives us a instinctive sense of right and wrong, following some inscrutable law

There is often confusion between obedience to rule and conscience: in fact one is the opposite of the other.

Man acquired the judgment of right and wrong following the fall. He became, as God put it, ‘as one of us knowing good and evil’ (Gen 3:22). Prior from that he was not as God. He was not holy for he could not abhor sin. Sin was not in him, so he was unable to judge it. He was under a law ‘do not eat’ which he had only to obey.

But grace has bought us out of the law, but put us under the authority of Christ as Lord. Our obedience to Him is therefore not a matter of conscience. But conscience does come in as we distinguish between what is right and wrong: looking to Christ as a model

In summary there are three things:

Our responsibility to obey God – that is law.
Our sense of good and evil – that is conscience,
Our self-judgment, or repulsion of heart, when an evil act is contemplated – that is holiness.

Based on J. N. Darby: ‘Conscience’ – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 104

Sosthenes

August 2016

Darby – Evolution is not Scientific

Recently I went to the National Museum for Natural History in London and saw some of the dinosaur skeletons. How they fitted into creational history, I do not know – God knows. One thing which amused me – I should say concerned me – was a title on one of the exhibits which spoke of Russel and Darwin discovering the theory of evolution. I ask, ‘How do you discover a theory?’ You cannot discover a theory. A theory is a theory – it’s not a fact. So to discover a theory is completely unscientific. Similarly, Darby in his paper ‘Evolution’ showed how unscientific this was.

Charles Darwin and JN Darby were contemporary with one another. Darwin was nine years younger, but they died at 10 days apart in April 1882.

Darby stated plainly that each species was distinct. Men and women produced human children; cocks and hens produced chickens. God may allow a horse and a donkey to produce a mule but mules do not reproduce. Scientific observation supports the biblical statement that each produces ‘after its kind’ (Gen 1:25).

Evolutionists cannot explain how protoplasm came about, but the Bible tells us that God was pleased when life began, even if it was protoplasm. We can now say the same about DNA. Darby said science is atheistical (I don’t quite understand this – studying physics, biology mathematics or astronomy makes us wonder at God’s creation – Pascal, Newton, Boyle, Fleming and many others were sincere believers). However, it is clear that scientists follow what exists, and do not bring God into the equation. Matter is what exists, and are as far as scientists are concerned matter, or the combination of matter and energy, is eternal. But this cannot be proven. Our finite minds cannot comprehend eternity.

Now as we were saying, each species is distinct. Evolutionists will say that the one species evolved into another, but as they cannot prove it – it remains only a theory. The Christian accepts God as the Creator: God created the animals. ‘God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so’ (Gen 1:24). The earth brought forth the animals, but God formed man. The creation of man was quite distinct. Our God gave man a face to look upwards towards Him, and He breathed into man so that he became a living soul. That is not said of any of the animals. We do not know how this came about other than that Adam had a deep sleep, but we accept it by faith.

Scientists deal with phenomena. Evolution from one species to another is not a phenomenon – it cannot be observed. Whilst species adapt (evolution in a small sense), nobody man has observed the gradual migration of one species to another: half man, half ape for example. This would have been necessary were evolution to be true. Evolution is therefore not scientific.

Darby asks what the answer is. Though many scientists have faith, it would seem that infidel scientists choose to ignore the fixed laws of science, and are afraid to be honest. Man’s mind cannot go further than antecedents and consequences: a point comes where speculation has to stop.

Based on J. N. Darby: Evolution – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 4

Sosthenes

August 2016

Darby – Evolution is not Scientific

Evolutionists cannot explain how protoplasm came about, but the Bible tells us that God was pleased when life began, even if it was protoplasm.

Recently I went to the National Museum for Natural History in London and saw some of the dinosaur skeletons. How they fitted into the creational timeline, I do not know – God knows. One thing which amused me – I should say concerned me – was an oxymoronic title on one of the exhibits which spoke of Russel and Darwin discovering the theory of evolution. I ask, ‘How do you discover a theory?’ You cannot discover a theory. A theory is a theory – it’s not a fact. So to discover a theory is completely unscientific. Similarly, Darby in his paper ‘Evolution’ showed how unscientific this was.

Charles Darwin and JN Darby were contemporary with one another. Darwin was nine years younger, but they died at 10 days apart in April 1882. Of course there have been many discoveries and developments since the nineteenth century, but the thought process has not changed. In my opinion, all new discoveries only bring out more questions and doubts about the so-called ‘science’ of evolution.

Based on J. N. Darby: Evolution – Notes and Comments Vol. 1, p 4

Sosthenes

August 2016

The Lord’s Second Coming and the Church’s Witness

The Lord’s first coming: He came in flesh, but only those who received Him knew Him, and that through the Spirit.
His second coming: He is seen by all.
Hence His first coming was really a spiritual one; the true coming will be the second.

‘After These Things’ Chapter 5.5 – The Lord’s Second Coming and the Church’s Witness

From our book ‘After These Things – Summaries of John Nelson Darby’s Papers on Prophecy – and more…’ Compiled by Daniel Roberts. For more about this book click on the picture or CLICK HERE

Based on J. N. Darby: The Lord’s Coming and the Church – Notes and Comments Vol. 2, p 275.

Two comings:

The Lord’s first coming: He came in flesh, but only those who received Him knew Him, and that through the Spirit.
His second coming: He is seen by all.

Hence His first coming was really a spiritual one; the true coming will be the second.

Although in His first coming He came in the flesh, He was only known spiritually. No man could come to Him, except the Father who had sent Him draw him (See John 6:44). He said to them, ‘The words that I speak unto you they are Spirit and they are Life’ (John 6:63). So those who heard, believed and kept His word had everlasting life: their eyes were opened by to see Him through the Father’s grace. They were taught of God and knew who He was – the Son. Others saw His miracles, but He would not commit Himself to them – He spoke in parables.

The real personal coming of the Lord Jesus is His second coming. It will not be merely a revelation to believers, but ‘every eye shall see him, they also which pierced him’ (Rev 1:7). His, the Son’s, glory will be known.

Christ is now in glory. That is how the church knows Him now. If the church denies this, it ceases to be the church: the ground of its very existence has ceased – it has ceased to exist in the sight of God. Although salvation may be taught in a casual way, there is not faith as a church and the Spirit has no office in it, for His office is to testify of Jesus and His glory. Even if the church suffers, that suffering is for nothing because it is joined to the world – it has ceased in its true existence. The same applies to individuals, even evangelicals, who deny the Spirit’s voice witnessing His glory.

Nevertheless, God has not left Himself without witness. We may be all mixed up, with our errors, weaknesses, and even unbelief. But the witness in the true church has not ceased to exist. Competent members of the church acknowledge of the power of reconciliation in Christ, and the testimony of the Word of God. They believe it, submitting to God, and know the presence of the Holy Spirit, looking forward to the return of the Lord Jesus. They are they the glory and hope of the church. Here is a church with faith – held in humility.

May God our Father keep us humble, holy in spirit and conversation giving us grace, patience, and that of faith. May we and lean in faith upon His word in the certainty of His love, qualifying us for His glory, forgiving us our weakness for Jesus sake, our Lord, and in Him.

A G Doughty – Lord, in past and distant ages, Long before the ken of man

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Being Dead to Nature

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Being Dead to Nature

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J N Darby – Fulness of Joy – Oh, bright and blessed hope! When shall it be

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Civilisation and Man’s Natural state

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False Ideas of Right and Wrong

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The Difference between Rules and Conscience

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Darby – Evolution is not Scientific

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Darby – Evolution is not Scientific

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The Lord’s Second Coming and the Church’s Witness

‘After These Things’ Chapter 5.5 – The Lord’s Second Coming and the Church’s Witness

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